There are many reasons why you may need to add WiFi connectivity to your desktop PC , starting with the fact that you may have the router too far from the PC to pull a network cable. In this situation, you have the option to add WiFi using a USB stick or with an internal PCIe card , so which option is the best? In this article we will see if it is worth investing in a PCIe WiFi card or a simple USB stick is enough.
USB sticks are very comfortable to use, since they are generally small and their configuration is simply to connect them to a USB port on the PC and start using them. On the contrary, internal PCIe cards are usually more expensive, they require that you open the PC to install them and also they usually need their own drivers. Of course they are more uncomfortable and expensive, but is it worth it because then they give better performance? Let’s see it.
Advantages of USB WiFi over PCIe
A USB wireless network adapter is as simple as possible: you connect it to a USB port on the PC and the operating system detects it automatically since the driver is integrated, so you can then connect to your home WiFi without having to do anything else . And this is undoubtedly the biggest advantage of a USB WiFi adapter over an internal PCIe one, since its installation and configuration will only take a few seconds, and you can also use it on any other PC without having to complicate your life.
Some USB WiFi sticks are so small that they take up almost no space, although some have built-in external antennas for better coverage. In any case, you have the advantage that you can use them for example to provide a NAS with a wireless connection , while PCIe cards are limited to desktop PCs only.
Advantages of WiFi by internal PCIe card over USB
We have already discussed that the biggest disadvantage of this type of wireless card is its installation, since you will have to open the PC to install it, install the drivers, etc., so of course in terms of flexibility they lose out.
However, everything else is advantageous. To start with, its coverage is much better since they can carry many more antennas, while USB sticks are usually internal and small, so they must be relatively closer to the router to have good coverage. On the other hand, the USB sticks only have the 5V that the USB port provides to supply power, while the internal PCIe cards can take advantage of the 12V that the socket works on. Higher consumption, yes, but a priori performance will always be better .
On the other hand, USB WiFi sticks have their bandwidth limited by the interface , while internal PCIe cards do not, or at least not so much. If the adapter is USB 3.0, things change, but the cheapest you will find on the market (and which are the most sold) are usually USB 2.0, so its bandwidth is greatly limited.
Which is better? Which one should you buy?
Without a doubt if we talk about performance and stability, the best option is a PCIe WiFi adapter. It is more expensive and has less flexibility, but if you are sure that you need WiFi on your desktop PC and want a good connection, you should bet on this option.
However, if you are looking for sporadic WiFi connectivity and it is not going to be something continuous, then you can save money and hassle buying a USB stick. Of course, the higher-end models should not be dismissed either, because in terms of performance they do not have so much to envy internal PCIe cards, although it is true that in this case they also depend on the USB ports to which we connect them. You know the saying, you can’t have a Ferrari and put the wheels on a 600, right?
That said, our recommendation is that if you can, always opt for the option of an internal PCIe WiFi card, since you will have better performance or, at best, better coverage and stability in all cases.